ECU Police Stepping Up Security At Football Games

As Pirate fans gear up for Saturday's big game against Old Dominion, East Carolina University Police say they too are prepared for the first game of the season.

ECU Police say this year they're stepping up security to make sure previous problems aren't repeated.

"Before every game now we will be able to provide an explosives sweep of the football stadium as well as other facilities on campus. We'll have multiple explosives dogs that will be able to work this area. We'll also have a bomb tech unit that will be here at this first game that will also be able to provide assistance," said Lt. Chris Sutton with ECU Police

Lt. Sutton says, the Boston Marathon bombing motivated the department to start checking the stadium for any kind of explosives before each game. Many ECU students say they're glad to hear it.

'It's also just showing that they care to make sure that nothing like that happens because I mean it doesn't have to happen in big places like the marathon. It could just as easily happen in a stadium, and there's going to be a lot of people there so taking measures to keep everyone safe," said freshman Stephanie Gile.

During the first ECU football game last year, dozens of fans had to be carried out of the stadium after suffering heat related illnesses. This year, Lt. Sutton says they will have extra water provided for hot games as well as cooling stations set up underneath the stadium. He says they've prepared for all types of weather.

"We have an evacuation video that will be played before the game starts and if we get into a situation where we have to evacuate it will give fans instructions on how to depart the stadium. We also have a severe weather shelter area sign that will be placed at each of the restrooms so that if we do have to shelter we will have those signs up so that as our fans come out of the stands they know where to go," said Lt. Sutton.

At the second ECU home game last year fans had to evacuate the stadium after severe weather. Lt. Sutton says if something like that happens again this year, everyone will have the information about where to go until the storm passes.

ECU Police will have assistance from 8 police departments for each game which they've done in years past. Kick Off time with Old Dominion is 7:00 pm Saturday.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.